Richter and Mercalli Scale

The epicenter of an earthquake is

• The point below the surface where rock begins to break and the first motion occurs
• The seismic station closest to the earthquake
• The place where the greatest damage occurs
• The point on the surface directly above the focus

This famous transform fault is located in the western United States creates significant earthquake activity for California

• New Madrid
• Denali Fault
• Ramapo Seismic Zone
• San Andreas

The Richter scale measures:

• the amount of radon gas released
• the movement of plates
• the strength of an earthquake
• the weight of tectonic plates

The Modified Mercalli scale rates the amount of damage from an earthquake

• true
• false

Which travels fastest, always being the first detected by seismic stations?

• P waves
• S waves

What do S (secondary) waves do during an earthquake?

• Shake the ground
• Cause eruptions
• Open cracks in the earth's surface
• Create loud noises

An earthquake scored high on the Richter scale but low on the Mercalli scale. Why?

• it probably happened in an area with no people
• it was a fast earthquake
• because it damaged a lot
• impossible to tell

An instrument that detects and measures earthquakes is a 

• seismogram
• focus seismic map
• focus
• seismograph 

What is the shaking of the Earth’s crust caused by a release of energy?

• Earthquake
• Epicenter
• Fault
• Plate

Which of the following is NOT a cause of an earthquake?

• Collapse of Cavern
• Eruption of Volcano
• Lightning Strikes
• Moving Tectonic Plates